The world building of Worlds Apart spans institutions, hidden conspiracies, lunar colonies, resistance networks, unstable realities, and shifting layers of truth.
This page breaks down how the novel’s universe functions, how its systems intertwine, and why every setting challenges the characters psychologically as much as physically.
The novel operates on two interconnected, and deeply flawed realities:
A world defined by:
mandatory medication laws
chemical control disguised as public safety
institutional systems designed to pacify the population
mental illness used as a political tool
erasure of dangerous truths through “treatment”
Peter’s arc reveals a society that prefers sedation over questions.
Far from a utopia, the Moon colonies are:
corrupt
crime dominated
built from desperation
technologically advanced but morally broken
run by shifting alliances of gangs, informants, and shadow leaders
Marsh’s journey exposes how deeply Earth’s decay has spread beyond its borders.
Robbins is not simply a villain, he is the gravitational center of the world’s darker systems.
His network spans:
Toronto’s underground ecosystem
the Moon colony black markets
human trafficking channels
political blackmail
labor exploitation
misdirection of law enforcement
He is the connective tissue between both worlds, static reality on Earth and shifting, dangerous reality on the Moon.
Medication is more than an element of Peter’s arc, it is a world mechanic.
It shapes:
perception
loyalty
obedience
emotional suppression
truth distortion
institutional dependency
The “mandatory medication law” is the government’s most effective weapon.
Taking it creates one reality.
Stopping it creates another.
Across both worlds, truth is fragile because systems are built to destroy it:
institutions hide deaths behind diagnosis
criminals rewrite narratives to stay invisible
lunar colonies bury evidence in their underworld
government agencies manipulate public perception
The instability characters feel is not personal, it’s structural.
The lunar colony’s under structures reveal its true nature:
maze like sewer networks
old maintenance tunnels repurposed for crime
escape routes built by previous residents
forgotten machinery humming beneath the colony floor
spaces where law enforcement cannot follow
These environments shift the story into claustrophobic tension, and push Marsh and Peter into literal darkness.
Though Worlds Apart is grounded, it hints at a larger structure:
events repeat in warped ways
characters see versions of themselves in memory
timelines feel almost,but not quite aligned
cause and effect do not perfectly match
the past bleeds into the present through corrupted systems
These “echoes” suggest a broader multiverse where reality is a loose framework rather than a fixed point.
Ellen’s vanishing is not just a plot event, it exposes how the world works:
powerful figures erase inconvenient people
underground networks use abductions as leverage
the lunar colonies provide space to hide the missing
truth splinters depending on who controls the narrative
Marsh’s desperate search reveals systemic corruption woven into every environment.
In Worlds Apart, status is determined by:
medication compliance
political position
criminal affiliation
lunar colony access
mental stability (as defined by the institution)
proximity to the truth
No one is equal in either world, everyone pays a cost for survival.
Communication between factions is intentionally limited:
messages are intercepted
technology is monitored
institutional staff manipulate information
lunar colony networks distort truth
conspiracies rely on silence
This forces characters to rely on instinct, and makes every decision uncertain.
